Life is looking up for a bird once called Hobby, the anxious exotic pet who destroyed all her feathers while living in conditions of deprivation and neglect.
Not long ago, she arrived at a sanctuary for birds just like her in Kansas. She smelled like garbage and old cigarettes and had nervously plucked out every single feather she could reach.
Since her rescue, though, she’s got a new name and a whole new attitude.
Javi, who was once seen as a mere hobby to pass the time, is learning to trust and interact with people again. Rescued a little over a month ago in late September, Javi is already making enormous strides, according to Tallgrass Parrot Sanctuary.
The golden moment so far in Javi’s recovery happened just this week. “This little girl is just blooming,” the sanctuary wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. “Today she said ‘I love you’ and our hearts just melted!”
Does she know what she’s saying? Maybe. Maybe not. But there’s no doubt that Javi feels the love and care that she’s receiving.